USS Rio Grande
| Registry= NCC-72452 | Affiliation= Federation/Starfleet | Status= Active | Datestatus= 2375 }} The USS Rio Grande (NCC-72452) was a Federation runabout assigned to Deep Space 9. The Rio Grande was offloaded at DS9 by the along with two other runabout starships. Service history 2369 The Rio Grande gained fame as the vessel piloted by Benjamin Sisko and Jadzia Dax on the mission when the Bajoran wormhole was discovered in 2369. ( ) The Rio Grande was used to transport Dr. Julian Bashir, under the control of the criminal Rao Vantika and hired Mercenaries to steal a shipment of Duridium from the freighter Norkova. ( ) Several months later, Sisko and Dax took the Rio Grande to Rakhar. ( ) After the crash-landed on a moon in the Gamma Quadrant, the Rio Grande was deployed to rescue Sisko, Bashir, Kai Opaka and, Major Kira Nerys who were on board the Yangtzee Kiang. ( ) 2370 The Rio Grande was used to pursue the hijacked containing Quark, Lieutenant Dax and Ensign Melora Pazlar. For this mission, the Rio Grande was equipped with a roll bar module. The roll bar was removed for all further missions. ( ) On stardate 47573.1, Commander Sisko and Chief O'Brien explored systems near the Bajor sector, aboard the Rio Grande, in search for planets suitable for colonization. Upon discovering a class M planet in the Orellius system, they transported down to the planet's surface. The Rio Grande remained in orbit until it was hijacked by Alixus, who attempted to destroy the runabout by setting its course into the system's sun, Orellius Minor. Her attempt failed, and the ship was deflected across Sector 401, unpiloted, until it was reported to Starfleet by the Romulan ship Gasko. Major Kira and Lieutenant Dax pursued the Rio Grande aboard the Orinoco. When the Orinoco caught up with the Rio Grande, Dax, inspired by an old Hopi rope trick, used the Orinoco's tractor beam to force the Rio Grande out of warp. They then transported over to the Rio Grande to determine the origin of the runabout's course, later taking the Orinoco in tow as they returned to Orellius. ( ) Later that year, Sisko took Jake, Quark and Nog into the Gamma Quadrant aboard the Rio Grande. It was the first time Jake and Nog had been there. However, the trip took a fateful turn as Sisko and Quark were captured by the Jem'Hadar, the soldiers of the Dominion. ( ) 2373 In early 2373, the Rio Grande was attacked by Klingons while Sisko, Dax and O'Brien were returning to the station from Starfleet Command. ( ) Later that year, the Rio Grande was used in the defense of the station against the newly arrived Dominion fleet. ( ) 2375 In 2375, Odo took the Rio Grande to Cardassian space to meet with a ex-informant who he believed dead. He had been duped by the defective Weyoun clone, and took him back to Federation space. When Legate Damar and the successive Weyoun clone learned of their whereabouts they sent a fleet of Jem'Hadar vessels to stop them. Odo diverted the Rio Grande into an ice field to avoid the attacking ships. ( ) Later that year, Captain Sisko took the Rio Grande to Bajor, for his final confrontation with Dukat and the Pah-wraiths. ( ) Appearances * ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** Background * Named after the river in New Mexico, and on the border of the state of Texas and Mexico. * The Rio Grande was the only runabout out of the original three runabouts (Rio Grande, Ganges and Yangtzee Kiang) assigned to the station to remain intact throughout the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine seven-year run. * In "Treachery, Faith and the Great River", the Rio Grande is inadvertently given the registry of the . rather than its own previously established registry number. * The Rio Grande is shown with phaser banks on the upper forward section of the nacelle in some episodes and without the phasers in other episodes. * The Micro Machines runabout model was marked as the Rio Grande, as was the AMT/Ertl model kit (on the packaging, at least, as the builder could name the model Rio Grande, Ganges or Yangtzee Kiang) and the Furuta kit. External link * Rio Grande de:USS Rio Grande es:USS Rio Grande nl:USS Rio Grande